


Trapped in Time - Era of Tony Stark

by rea_grimm



Series: Trapped in Time [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aliens, Character Death, Gods, Lost Love, Lost Memories, Love Triangles, M/M, Mpreg, Past Lives, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:56:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28316373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rea_grimm/pseuds/rea_grimm
Summary: Tony Stark, wounded after a fight with Thanos, himself no longer hopes for rescue onboard Milan. He gets it from Yon-Rogg who happens to find him during the survey. Unfortunately, they get to Conjunction, where they encounter Loki. Loki knows that Tony is Sherlock reincarnation and this time he doesn't intend to give him up without a fight.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark, Tony Stark/Yon-Rogg
Series: Trapped in Time [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1929196
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Continuation of the story Trapped in Time - Era of Sherlock Holmes. Read the previous story for more information.

Tony Stark found himself alone, alone aboard Milan, after a duel with Thanos. After a long time, Nebula set off in an emergency pod into a barren universe to save herself. So Tony had the whole ship to himself. Gradually he repaired the ship, trying to extend his chance of survival. As the oxygen approached the hazard line, he decided to use his metal helmet to send, or at least record, his will. He had no idea how, but he managed to activate the helmet. It was in the last few percent before the shutdown.

„Is it on?

Hello, Miss Potts... Pep. If you find this tape, don't post it online, it'll be a real tear-jerker. I don't know if you'll ever see this. If you're still... God, I hope so. Today is day 21 . . . no, 22. If it weren't for the existential anxiety of staring into the wasteland of space, I'd say I feel better today. The infection is fading, thanks to the special drugs I found here.

The power cells ruptured during the fight, but I found a way to reverse charge of the ions and secure 48 hours of function. But we're out of juice. The nearest planet to me is 7,000 to 11,000 light-years. Oxygen will run out tomorrow morning. And it will be over.

Pep, I know I said there would be no more surprises, but I was hoping I had one more up my sleeve. But it looks... You know how it looks. Don't get too excited. All you have to do is spend a few weeks in bed and then move on with a tremendous sense of guilt. I should lie down for a while.

Know that when I fall asleep, it means everything to me. I'm fine. I dream of you. Because you're there...” and with this, he tried to send his message to Earth. Or at least save it for someone to find.

He put on Star Lord's old jacket so he wouldn't get cold and lay down on the cold metal ground. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. It would be better if he were to die, so  so he die peacefully in his sleep. He fell asleep strangely quickly and was carried into dreamland. More than a dream, it reminded him of a memory. The memory of Loki's attack on Earth.

At first, he found himself in his metal suit, having shot the god of Asgard when he managed to knock Steve down. That was the first time he had seen him. That is, even earlier, he had seen him a few seconds earlier, striding regally toward a crowd of people, and in the process, all his "human" clothes had been transformed by a strange spell into ones one only sees in movies or history books. He was already wondering how the whole thing had worked.

He subsequently tried to find more information about him behind S.H.I.E.L.D.'s back while being held in prison on a helicarrier. As an interesting fact, he remembered until now, that the computer took the body temperature in the cage. The sensor showed how Loki's body temperature was much lower than his surroundings. Almost to the point of frostbite. He wanted to talk to him, but there was no time for that, for the god had a different plan and was out of his reach.

Subsequently, he found him in his tower, walking around as if he owned the place.  
„Please tell me you're not here to appeal to my humanity,” Loki said as Tony got closer.  
„Uh, I actually came to threaten you,” Tony said. He did not expect such a beginning of their conversation. Though he had to admit that Loki looked slightly distracted, he tried to hold his face despite that.  
„You should have kept your armour on for that.  I t's quite impressive,  o n Earth.”  
„Thanks. I have armour. You blue glow stick. Everyone has something. Want a drink?” he said, walking over to the bar. For some unknown reason, it didn't feel like he was talking to a god or an enemy at all, but rather like he was talking to an old acquaintance.  
„Delaying won't help,” he said, eyeing him. Tony saw a flash of pain in his eyes.   
„No, nothing like that. I threaten. So no drink? I'll have one, then,” and began to prepare something.

„The Chitauri army is coming. Tell me Sh... what am I afraid of?” Loki asked, looking as if he were about to call him by a completely different name, then stopped.  
„The Avengers. That's what we call ourselves now. We are such a team of Earth's strongest heroes.”  
„I saw that,” he said with a chuckle. „What if I made you an offer?”  
„I guess it won't be an invitation for a drink,” he replied.  
„No, I'm afraid not. Something else. Join me. We can rule this rotten world together,” and with each step he took a step closer to Tony, looking into his eyes as if searching for a long-lost friend.

„Sounds tempting, but unfortunately I have to decline. Ruling the world isn’t for me. I prefer to save him,” Tony said, taking a drink from his drink.  
„What a pity that our paths must be divided again. But it will not happen this time,” Loki said, putting the point of his spear to his heart. A stream of energy coursed through the lance, pouring into the reactor that was in a place of his heart. It didn't seem to do anything for Tony. He tried again, but still with the same result. He looked at Tony blankly.

„Minor performance problem. A little accident. It happens...” he started to say, noting the strange blue glint in Loki's eyes before the god grabbed him by the throat.  
„Looks like I'm going to have to wait a few more years for you,” he growled, throwing Tony through the glass.  
„Jarvis, now!” Tony shouted, but as if no one had heard him. He expected to be rescued by his new suit of armour. But nothing happened. He was falling. He closed his eyes and awaited his end.

When he should have touched the ground. He opened his eyes and sat up, his heart pounding. It was just a dream, he was trying to calm down. He almost would have, had he not seen a man in a strange uniform before him.  
„Sherlock?” the unknown man asked, moving closer to Tony.  
„Who the hell are you?” he asked, but exhaustion coursed through his body, momentarily subdued by the previous shock. He tried to stand up, but his body resisted and he eventually passed out.

The stranger who found Tony in the boat was none other than Yon-Rogg. He had been assigned the task of space exploration after Thanos had wiped out half of all life. Everything was chaos. His planet was still processing it well, but others weren't as well. He was on a reconnaissance mission to find anything unusual or to find a trace of Thanos, who has been in hiding ever since.

Yon thought it would be one of those boring missions where he wanders around the galaxy until management lets him know he can come back. He had no idea that in the middle of his journey he would find a damaged ship he thought had been looted by space pirates or thieves, or that the crew had vanished along with the other half of the galaxy. Of course, he reported it to headquarters, and when he got permission, he went to investigate.

The scanner reported a faint sign of life in the ship. He boarded the Millano and began to explore. He immediately set out to explore the area where life was supposed to be. He walked in, not wanting to believe his eyes. Right in front of him was a man who looked like someone he'd lost many years ago. He walked over to check his bodily functions when the man in front of him awoke completely shocked. It's hard to tell if it was his entrance or something else but he subsequently passed out.

Yon went to the man he thought was his beloved Sherlock. He took him carefully in his arms and carried him to his ship, where he laid him on a cot. During this, he tried to be as careful as possible, for it was known that this man was wounded and very exhausted. He pulled up his T-shirt and looked at the still-sore wound. He treated the wound hastily and gave him several sedatives and medications. As a result, he was able to stabilize the new Sherlock.

He returned to the controls and set the autopilot for the journey to his homeland. Once all was set, he returned to the stranger and sat down beside him. Leaving aside the beard, this earthling was a perfect replica of Sherlock Holmes. He ran a faint hand through his hair, remembering all the memories he had spent with this man. A few tears came immediately to his eyes. He wiped them on his hand and smiled faintly. It was a faint, sad smile.

His smile vanished as the ship began to tremble dangerously. He released the man and moved to the wheel. He walked slowly, as everything was spinning around him and he almost fell several times. He tried to get the ship under control, but it was hard because they got into a very dangerous part where there were many wormholes. And one of them was just pulling them in. Yon turned the ship around and tried to fly out of the hole, but he didn't have the energy for that. Eventually, the wormhole sucked them in, seeming to suck all the power out of the ship.

All systems shut down and the lights went out. Within seconds, they were on the other side of the universe in a completely unknown place. As the ship malfunctioned and they flew out of the hole, their ship began to plummet to the ground. They were attracted by a very strong gravitational field. They could only expect a strong jolt now. They were pulled so hard and fast that Yon was ready to part with his life, for no one could have survived such a jolt. The expected impact didn't come, however, as it looked as if an invisible beam had caught them at the last moment. Yon surmised that it was some kind of force field that slowly lowered them to the ground.

He would already have thought they had been rescued, but he would have been sorely mistaken. The door from his ship was ripped open by brute force, and strange men in rags and strange technology burst in. They surrounded them, pointing questionable weapons at them. Two of the strange people walked over to Tony and poked him. That pissed Yon off. He activated his gloves and knocked some of the men aside. Once on the ground, they went over him and fired at Yon. The missile was attached to some kind of string, and they sent an electrical charge through it. There was so much of it, it brought Yon to his knees. He tried to resist it but to no avail. The intruders only increased the tension until it darkened before his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Stunned, Yon-Rogg and Tony Stark, still unconscious, were tied up and taken to a city in the centre of which was a giant arena, along with a tall modern tower. They were taken to the very top of the tower, where the whole city was breathtaking. Even to the landfill that surrounded it, all because of the fall of everything that had swallowed a dozen wormholes.

Slowly, Yon-Rogg regained consciousness, though everything was half in the fog. There were a total of three people in front of him. Two men and one was probably a woman. One of the men wore a golden robe and wore a blue tunic underneath. This man appeared to be fond of gold, as he also wore gold forearm protectors. His face was lightly tanned, with a blue stripe running down his chin to his lower lip. The man must have been of elderly age, for he had white-grey, short hair.

Beside him was a man whose face Yon recognized. He's been cursing his corpse for stealing his detective. It was Loki. Distinctive facial features, green piercing eyes and black raven hair. His nemesis in love.

Stunned, Yon-Rogg and Tony Stark, still unconscious, were tied up and taken to a city in the centre of which was a giant arena, along with a tall modern tower. They were taken to the very top of the tower, where the whole city was breathtaking. Even to the landfill that surrounded it, all because of the fall of everything that had swallowed a dozen wormholes.

Slowly, Yon-Rogg regained consciousness, though everything was half in the fog. There were a total of three people in front of him. Two men and one was probably a woman. One of the men wore a golden robe and wore a blue tunic underneath. This man appeared to be fond of gold, as he also wore gold forearm protectors. His face was lightly tanned, with a blue stripe running down his chin to his lower lip. The man must have been of elderly age, for he had white-grey, short hair.

Beside him was a man whose face Yon recognized. He's been cursing his corpse for stealing his detective. It was Loki. Distinctive facial features, green piercing eyes and black raven hair. His nemesis in love.

Loki made it to Conjuction after helping Thor leave Sakaar. After all that had happened, he decided that the throne was not meant for him. Especially when there was no throne anymore. But the Grand Master was an idiot, and he could convince him with his silver tongue that he had been on his side all along. He even helped him find a new planet and subsequently became his right-hand man. He had everything here and nothing was missing. None of what could be bought, that is.

This day began for him like every other day on this planet. Once in a while, a wormhole would bring them a ship, and occasionally a passenger, but after Thanos had wiped out half the universe, not so many of them fell in.

That's why it was quite an uproar to find two passengers in one ship. Of course, he was not to be missed at such an event. In the main room, he and the Grand Master waited while new additions were brought before them. The two men were brought in strapped in special chairs. Loki recognized the stunned man immediately. A man he almost killed once and had to give up more than once. He recognized the man next door since he used to follow Heimdall after he left. He was more cooperative with his brother but occasionally said something. Instantly a brilliant plan formed in his mind to get him to himself

„If I may suggest, this man in Kree uniform, in my humble opinion, is a very competent fighter. He could certainly face a champion,” he told the Grand Master in a low voice.

„Hmm, do you think so?” he asked uncertainly, eyeing Yon-Rogg. He didn't look much like a fighter. More like an explorer

„I'm sure of it. And if you don't believe me, then try putting him in the arena and then you'll know what to do with him. At least people will get to see a new face. They still wanted something new,” as always, he was very persuasive. And if his words didn't work that way, he planned to use a bit of persuasion with the magic he'd used back in London, posing as a baronet.

„Well... if you say so. If it works, you can take whatever reward you want,” he muttered uncertainly, waving his hand. Thanks to this gesture, Yon was wheeled away in a chair. Meanwhile, Tony was taken to the infirmary. This was exactly the outcome Loki wanted to achieve.

Yon-Rogg was fitted with new armour and sent to the arena. He walked through the great gate and was greeted by cheers from all sides. Next to it was a gun rack, and it said he was only allowed to choose one weapon. He had chosen special gloves that had been taken from him and were now in the armoury. He put it on immediately. As soon as he removed the glove from its holder, all the weapons inside were locked, and the box slid into the ground.

He entered the circle, and opposite it opened, and inside stood a man twice his size with many times his muscles. He looked like a big, angry pile of muscle, with two swords in his hands. He slammed them together twice before making a few elaborate moves. The crowd cheered a lot more than when Yon walked in. He seemed to like showing off. Yon looked at him and decided there was no point in running at him head-on. He'll get a feel for it first. And, as he had expected, the enemy came at him, eager to strike a mortal blow with a single swipe of his sword. He had not expected Yon to be so easily avoided. He came at him again, this time at his throat. Literally. He dodged most of those attacks, too, though the enemy probably only cut one in his thigh. But the wound was not deep, so it did not restrict Yon's movements.

Part of his opponent seemed tired, and this was his moment. He activated the gloves in an experienced motion and went to work. In his head, he developed a perfect strategy, which he put into practice in an instant. His opponent had no idea what had happened. As Yon was about to deliver the final blow, an electrical charge went through his body, the same as when he was knocked unconscious when he was captured and fell to the ground. The crowd cheered. Fans clapped and whistled and threw all sorts of things into the arena. From flowers to underwear. The porters subsequently removed the two men from the arena, as people were already looking forward to another interesting match.

Meanwhile, the Grand Master and Loki watched the entire match from the central tower, his special box.  
„I have to say, he's not bad. His fighting style is slightly unusual, as everyone here is throwing themselves into it, but he seems to have grown attached to the audience. And who am I to deny my darlings what they love, hmm? I like him,” the Grand Master said enthusiastically.  
„As I told you," Loki said simply, a slight smile on his lips.  
„Well, how many units do you want for him? But I'm not going above two thousand,” he said with a sigh.  
„I'm not asking for units, I'm asking for something else. Valuable to me.”  
„What is it, then? Not my position?” he began to suspect.  
„You don't have to worry, I don't want your position. I'm asking for the man who was on the boat with him. The one who wasn't conscious.”  
„Really? And you don't want anything else. The poor man is from Earth so he won't last long,” he said because he thought the Earthling was written off. No great loss. And in his opinion, he should have made a better choice.  
„Your offer is tempting, but I want him. Nothing else,” he replied firmly, but at the same time not appearing to be giving orders.  
„So be it,” he replied, defeated, waving a hand at one of the maids.

She bowed and came closer.   
„What's your name, girl?” he asked her.  
„Emily,  sir ,” the girl replied weakly.  
„Emily, have the newly recruited Earthman ready for my friend here. From now on, it belongs to him,” he commanded, turning to Loki.  
„My room.”  
„Did you hear? Come on, come on,” he urged.  
„I'm incredibly grateful for your generosity,” he said, slightly exaggerated.  
„The deal  is a deal, and now you go enjoy your new pet,” he waved, sitting down in a chair to watch the next game. "Where the hell is my popcorn!" he shouted to one of the maids, who immediately ran to him. Loki merely shook his head and started toward his room.

Loki went back to his room, where Tony was already in his bed. He already looked a little better, but it was clear how exhausted he still was. Loki sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand lightly.

„What did you have to go through before you found your way to me?” he asked weakly, his gaze falling to his chest. As he remembered from his last meeting, a blue circle glowed there. Now there was nothing. He let go of his hand carefully and moved gently across his chest, where he remembered was cold metal instead of a heart. He was slightly relieved, for he felt no such thing there. He could feel Tony's heart beating and the warmth of his skin against his cold body.

Suddenly an idea sprang into his head. Using magic, his spear appeared in his hand with the residual strength of the tesseract. There was enough power left in the spear for one last spell. He concentrated and put the point of the spear to Tony's heart. The lance glowed blue, and the blue energy poured into his lover's chest. As it happened, Tony opened his eyes and sat up in shock. If Loki hadn't been quick enough, Tony might have gotten hurt on his spear.

The earthman's eyes were wide and he was trying to find out what had happened. The last thing he remembered was being on a boat and someone else showing up. And now he was in bed, with Loki sitting in front of him. The whole thing seemed absurd to his mind. For a moment he thought he had already died and was probably in hell. Or somewhere halfway. But the fact that his head and chest ached in an unreal way took him out of those thoughts. He felt that mere thought was causing the pain.

„Anthony?” Loki asked, a hint of concern in his voice. As if he'd only just realized that he'd been in the same room as his former enemy, he began to automatically surge away from him.

„I don't want to hurt you,” he said gently, grabbing his arm to stop him. Tony looked at him, shocked, and wanted to extricate himself, but he didn't have the strength. Loki grabbed him with his other hand and closed his eyes. A green, pleasant light began to drift from his hands, and when it was gone, it seemed to Tony that a large stone had fallen from him. It was as if strength and energy had returned to his body. Even the wound he suffered in the fight was gone. He looked at Loki, puzzled. He was a bad guy. The enemy. So why did he help him? Why did he cure him?

„Get some sleep, Sherli dear,” and kissed his forehead. He put some soporific magic into the kiss, so when he pulled away, Tony's eyelids drooped and he fell asleep.

But it was a restless sleep, with memories pouring into his mind. It seemed to belong to a stranger, but also himself. He was in a totally unfamiliar environment, though he guessed from the buildings that he was in London. But it wasn't London as he remembered. This one was a lot older. He saw the man who rescued him from the ship as close to him in his memories. How he met him. They became friends but argued very often. He even saw Loki in them but under a completely different name. And no brother. He had a sister there. He saw Loki's death. Everything began to spin and all the colours dissolved. The man at his side stopped arguing with him, and it looked like a relationship. That is until he saw his own end.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony Stark awoke from a series of strange dreams when he tumbled down a waterfall in the last one. He woke up when he hit the water and sat up, gasping for breath. He was sitting on the bed. He looked around. He thought meeting Loki on an unknown planet was a dream, too. And that by some miracle, the villain seemed good... he had no idea what to make of it. Plus, thinking properly still gave him a headache, and he felt as if he had lived two lives and all those memories were mixed.

Loki had just walked into the room, carrying a tray holding a strange tea set. The tea was pleasantly aromatic and immediately perfumed the room. It reminded Tony of the tea he drank at home. That is, back when he was still drinking tea.

„Would you like some tea? It'll make you feel better,” he said gently.  
„No, thank you. I better skip. It's poisoned,” he replied automatically, not knowing why.  
„No, it's not,” he said.  
„It is. It's got, um, wolfsbane in it. It was prepared by your sister... Lucille,” he explained, but even to him, it seemed unclear. How could he know such a thing? He had never met with any poisoned tea or anyone named Lucille. That struck him as a terribly antiquated and boring name. Loki didn't understand the implications of these words at first before he remembered Sherlock's visits to Allerdale Hall and smiled faintly. His spell worked.

„Please accept my apologies for the misunderstanding, but Lucille has been dead for more than 200 years. Maybe you'll remember that” he replied sympathetically, walking over to Tony.  
„Oh...” he started to reply, but again the pain went through his head. He tried to fight it off, but he wasn't very good at it, so he clutched his head as if it might help. Loki placed the tray on the bedside table and sat beside him on the edge of the bed.  
„It'll be all right,” and he put his hand on the hero's shoulder. He tried to calm him down, but he guessed it probably wouldn't be that simple.

„You died,” he said through his teeth in confusion. Scenes from a past life kept flashing through his mind, and he felt as if his head was about to explode into a million shards.  
„I had to go back to Ásgard. There was a storm that night, a message for me. And if I didn't come back voluntarily, he'd come for me. And at the time, he had a different view of mortals than he does now. I don't want to think what he'd be capable of...” he began to explain when Tony interrupted.

„No. I don't mean that. Why... why did you tried to kill me?” he asked, broken.  
„What?”  
„In an attack on Earth. Back in my tower. You looked at me like you saw a ghost. And then when the magic thing with the spear didn't work, you grabbed me by the throat and threw me out the window... I still have nightmares from it,” he admitted, hurt.  
„Oh,” he was at first speechless, but he knew he had to make some excuse. „That's the only thing I regret so far,” and looked down. It was true. It still bothered him.  
„Then why can't I believe it?” and it was the first time he looked directly at him.

„I may be described by mortals as a god of lies and deceit, but to you, I would...” he began angrily, his voice breaking at the end.  
„What? What would you never do? Lied? Congratulations, considerate done,” he replied rather irritably. After a long time, he let out all the anger he was suppressing. There was anger at Steve Rogers, too, but he didn't have him at reach.

„You mean when I impersonated a baronet two hundred years ago?” Tony was silent. His head was a mess. „Just so you know, I loved that life. No Ásgard, no dumb brothers who want to wrestle with the world,… Lucille was no prize, but it was workable. I could do anything. To be anyone,… I was free in my sense and happy at your side,” and he looked at Tony, whose face showed clearly the schism between it all.  
„Then why don't I believe you,” he said after a moment, his words stabbing straight into Loki's heart like a sharp knife. „No evidence to go on? Nothing. After all this, how can I trust you?”  
„Your words hurt me like the sharpest blade, but after all that you have a claim,” he replied, defeated with a hint of disappointment.  
„Then prove me wrong,” he said, turning his large, hopeful eyes on him. It's hard to say what changed his mind. Whether it was the fact that he had saved his life now or the mixing of memories from two lives. With that, he even leaned over slightly, as if signalling.

„Tony?” he whispered, also leaning forward. Their lips met for the first time in that time. From first gentle and careful, the kiss gradually became one of lost passion. Passions that have been lost to both of them for over 200 years. At first, Loki was still reluctant until Tony sat in his lap and pulled him even closer.

He didn't know if it was the passion of his old memories or the power of the situation that made him want more and more. They only pulled away when they needed air. They breathed for a moment, their foreheads pressed together, neither of them knowing what would happen next. Tony finally decided to take matters into his own hands.

He kissed him again and pushed him into the pillows. He was on top of him and tried to undress him during fleeting kisses. His nimble fingers tried to get under his clothes, but he had no idea how. This style was completely unfamiliar to him. Loki smiled, and in an instant, they were surrounded by a faint green light that, when it faded, made them both naked. Tony was taken aback for a moment, before acknowledging that it had been much more effective, and proceeded to investigate the god's body. It was icy cold to the touch at first but gradually became incandescent. It wasn't as hot as the human one, but it was progress nonetheless.

Tony's hungry hands searched almost every corner of his body from head to waist, and he accompanied his work with a few small kisses. Loki pulled him close again, for though he was so close to him, he needed to be as close as possible. He kissed him hungrily, and when the Midgardian's hands found their way to his groin, he immediately spread his legs, giving him perfect access to his entire body.

During that evening, they had partly caught up with what they hadn't done in the long two hundred years. A lot of lost passion, and a small, tiny spell to remember this moment forever. With this, it looked like Tony had forgiven him for everything he'd done.

The following morning they awoke in one another's arms. Loki awoke first, and the sleeping sight of Tony warmed his heart. He no longer hoped to see such a thing. He smiled contentedly and gave Tony a tiny kiss on the lips. With this, Tony awoke. Slowly, he opened his still-sleepy eyes. His large eyes studied the figure before him. He would never dream of ending up in bed with a man and God at that. Not to mention he was on a totally unknown planet. Loki was about to say something when Tony yawned, closed his eyes again, and pressed closer to the god. He was still cold, but somehow he didn't mind. Loki hugged him and closed his eyes himself. Now he had his Sherlock, Tony to himself at last. And it looked as if no one was going to take him away from him.


	4. Chapter 4

When they finally got out of bed and into their clothes, there was the sound of a series of chain explosions and the roar of men in the tower. Then a loud alarm filled the area. A mutiny warning.

That was Yon-Rogg's doing. He didn't have a pleasant evening at all like the other two. He, unlike them, had spent the evening planning his escape from this God-forsaken place. Other inmates warned him there was no way out. But they never jailed anyone of his calibre. He, unlike the others, knew how to use the organ placed on his neck. He kept a close eye on his surroundings, and at night he plotted his plans. That morning, he put his master plan into action.

In a matter of moments, he had accomplished what might have taken some years. The whole area was in chaos. Yon had managed to keep his weapon, so when guards blocked his path, he was ready for them. They had no chance against him. For one simple reason. They underestimated their opponent.

But Yon wasn't just planning to run. He planned to take the reincarnation of Sherlock with him. He should probably learn his new name. It would be too much of a coincidence, after all, if this man, too, were named Sherlock Holmes. He reached the control panel, but it was password-protected. He couldn't get past it. One of the girls ran past him. It was Emily who had taken care of Tony the previous day. Yon didn't know. He grabbed her arm and stopped her from escaping. The girl stared at him with her large pink eyes and trembled with fear.

„Where can I find the man they brought with me?” he growled at her.  
„The Grandmasters right hand has it,” she replied, her voice shaking.  
„And his room? Where can I find him?”  
„The penultimate floor in the tower. He's got the whole floor to himself. The floor below the Grand Master's bedroom. You can use the elevator ... It will be the fastest,” she added, fearing for her life. She was not used to such things and was of a timid disposition herself.

Yon didn't miss a beat and ran for the elevator. That, for all the damage done by the others, was still operational. He drove to a given floor and tried to open the door. They were locked, of course. But he was in no mood for that. He turned on his glove and broke down the door. He strode into the room and found the two of them sitting peacefully at breakfast. You could see Tony hesitate to eat the odd meal at first, but after a little persuasion, he had to admit that it wasn't that different from classic Earth food. Although they couldn't make proper coffee. The two of them looked at Yon, looking at why he was disturbing them and what was happening. The two of them rose from the table, but it was Loki who stepped protectively in front of Tony, possibly to protect him from danger.

„You,” Yon-Rogg growled. Loki instantly recognized him as his rival and summoned his spear through magic. Moreover, should the spear fail, he has an unlimited number of hidden knives. „Let him go!”  
„I can't let that happen. He is, after all, a Midgardian on an unknown planet. If I let him go, he could get hurt,” he smiled slyly.  
„You know what I mean,” he said irritably, pointing his glove at him.  
„I don't think that will be necessary,” Loki said as if trying to calm the situation. It didn't seem to work, as Yon took a few practised steps forward, jerked his glove, hit Loki and tried to grab Tony's arm, but both figures melted away. Loki materialized again a few yards off. Eventually, they exchanged a few blows, gained some distance, and were preparing for another round when Tony Stark burst in, trying to keep them apart.

„That's enough!” he shouted at them, and the two of them stopped, but they were still pointing at each other. He was fed up with arguments, and he wasn't going to listen to them on other planets. It was involuntary, but in the end, they both obeyed. „You don't have to get along. I don't care, but as long as I'm here, no one's going to argue.”

„I remember you,” he said to Yon. „You saved my life in space. I'm grateful for that. I'm not going to kiss you for that. From what I saw in my head, we knew each other even... I don't know when. In a previous life? I guess. But just so you both know, that's not me," he said, aiming the last sentence at the two men.

In the end, the two agreed on a kind of truce where the best man would win. They sat at a table, wondering what to do next. Tony, of course, wanted to return to Earth as soon as possible.  
„I don't think that's a very good idea,” Yon said.  
„Why?” Tony asked, only more interested.  
„To my knowledge, the universe is now in complete chaos,” he said. It wasn't entirely a lie, but he wanted to win Tony over for himself.  
„All the more reason to go back. Earth needs me. They need Iron Man,” he replied.

They continued to argue there for some time, and it only reinforced his determination to return home. Eventually, Yon had to abandon his plan to return with Tony to a home planet called Hala. Loki, on the other hand, suspected that such a situation might arise and, in truth, did not mind. Now that he had finally established a relationship with Tony, he was sure he wouldn't just dump him.

Tony was adamant about getting information about his planet, and when he found out what had happened, no one could talk him out of going back. They devised a plan to retrieve the ship that, thanks to the turmoil on the planet, they could easily carry out. Once the ship took off, they set a course for Earth.

They reached Earth without any problems. That is unless you count the small ones, but for the frequent arguments between Loki and Yon. They were mostly arguing about what happened 200 years ago. Who took Sherlock from whom and who Tony will end up with now. In fact, for how old they were, Tony felt the most grown-up during the trip, with the two arguing like small children.

When they reached the Avengers' base, his former shipmates surrounded their ship. Hulk, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Rhodey, Thor and two people he didn't know. That is if one can be claimed for a person. It was a raccoon in some kind of suit, with a big probably firearm. The other was human, but he had never seen him before. Or maybe he did, but he didn't remember him. However, they had no idea if there was a speaker or anything on the ship, so they opened the door instead. As the door slowly dropped to the ground, the former Avengers were ready to attack. They aimed everything at them. Tony came out first with his hands up and a faint smile on his lips.

„Take it easy,” said Tony and went downstairs.  
„Tony,” the others marvelled, not even hiding their enthusiasm. But that quickly disappeared when Loki and Yon-Rogg appeared behind him. The two of them walked without any fear of harm. The members of the Avengers again pointed their weapons at them.

“Easy. They're with me. He won't hurt anybody,” Tony tried. Steve signalled to hold his fire. Yon eyed them all, taking them as a potential threat to steal Tony. Especially the blond leader.  
„Loki. You're alive,” Thor said without surprise.  
„It's good to see you, too, brother,” Loki replied, having to hide his shock at the way his brother now looked.  
„What do you want here?” the god of thunder asked.  
„Just escorting Anthony here. I have no ulterior motives,” he replied candidly.

„And the other one?” the captain asked Tony.  
„He saved me in space. I wouldn't be here without him,” he replied, making Loki feel as if he'd just betrayed him. This caution was slowly wearing off.  
„Alright. Everybody lower your weapons!” he commanded. Most obeyed at once, but some eyed the group suspiciously before they dropped their weapons, too. Tony and his crew descended to the ground, where the captain and the others welcomed him into a collective embrace.  
„We're glad you're okay,” Rhodey said.  
„Good to see you too,” Tony said, smiling. He was glad to be home among his own.

Subsequently, they all moved to the Avengers building, to a room where a time portal was set up.  
„What is this? Some kind of stargate? The Portal of Time?” he joked, studying the device from a distance.  
„Exactly. Scott here gave us an idea that was absurd at first, but it worked,” Steve was explained.  
„Actually, you came just in time. As a result, we were able to retrieve the stones of time even before Thanos got them. Now we're going to use them to bring back half the universe,” Bruce explained.  
„That's amazing,” Tony said, „How did you do that?”

„Most of it was done, but it took us a while. Because at first, we sent time through Lang and not Lang through time. We had to figure out…”  
„Space-time GPS. The first tests must have been unpleasant,” he interrupted.  
„Tell me about it,” Scott sighed.  
„Anyway, look here. That's how we got the infinity stones. I planted them in one of your Iron Man gloves. The metal was perfect since it can adapt to any hand.”  
„All right. Who's going to do the snap?” Tony asked.  
„That's what we wanted to get to before you arrived,” Steve said. Loki, meanwhile, walked over to Tony, put his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his head. His eyes studied the glove. If he had been the same, he would have tried to get them, but now he would have no use for them.  
„I'll do it,” Bruce said determinedly. The captain wanted to object at first, but in the end, like everyone else, they conceded that he was right.

Hulk put on his glove and immediately tremendous and overwhelming energy coursed through him. If it was anyone else, his knees would buckle. He concentrated and snapped his fingers. No one knew at the time whether the stones had worked or not. Bruce fell to the ground and the others rushed to his side. They took off his glove and patched him up. Clint paced impatiently around the room. He stopped at the table where his phone was resting. The phone began to vibrate, and the screen showed a call from his beloved wife. He was going to take it when the building started acting weird. The ground began to shake, and the air seemed thick with tension.


	5. Chapter 5

Suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, a laser beam hit their base. The whole building shook to its foundations and collapsed in on itself. Already the bystander might have thought that no one could have survived such a thing, but inside were Earth's strongest heroes, weren't they?

It was all about coincidence because if it hadn't been for Loki, it was hard to tell how the whole disaster would have turned out. Loki succumbed to his latent lust for power at the last moment and took from the glove the stone of space he had placed in his spear. This allowed him to create a barrier around everyone to save them from falling debris.

Meanwhile, outside, through the clouds, a giant spaceship made its way to Earth, landing in front of the ruins. Thanos and his aides disembarked from the ship. Meanwhile, battleships were massing over the entire area to support their master in any predicament. They decided to wait a while before searching the wreckage.

They were in enemy territory after all, and from Nebula's memories, he could see clearly how they had killed him in the future. Who knows how powerful his enemies were. But he didn't care, in part, because he didn't know anyone who could stand up to him and win. He just didn't want to get his hands dirty. So he stuck his weapon in the ground, put his helmet on it, and sat down and looked at Nebula from the past.

„Bring me the stones,” he said, calmly waiting to get what he had come for.

Loki used most of his power to bring them back to the surface from the wreckage. Most of the Avengers were already wearing their battle armour, so they didn't even wait to go to the edge of their former home and find out who hadn't fallen them. What they saw chilled them. Their worst enemy was standing right on the threshold of their ruined home with victory within reach.

The heroes didn't miss a beat and immediately took up arms. The captain took his shield, Rocket took his giant weapon, Thor summoned the lightning bolt that gave him his armour, the Stormbreaker and even his old Mjolnir that he had acquired in the past, Clint took his bow quiver, Rhodey and Tony put on their suits and Yon-Rogg stepped in with his gloves and Loki with his spear. They weren't going to just abandon Tony.

„It could be a trap,” Thor said.  
„It can,” the Captain replied.  
„I just want us to be on the same side,” he said, quite ready for battle.

„You couldn't live with your own failure. And where did that get you? Back to me,” Thanos began as the heroes began to close in on him. „I thought if I destroyed half of living beings, the other would flourish. But you're demonstrating it's impossible. As long as some remember the past, there's always someone who won't be able to accept what might be. They will resist.”

„Yeah, we're pretty stubborn,” Tony said as if he were an ordinary man of his own kind.

„I must thank you for that. For now, I know what I must do,” and with that, he stood. He walked over to where he had put his helmet and put it on his head with a slow gesture. „I will crush this universe to the last atom first. And then with the stones you collected for me, I will create a new universe. A rampant life that will not know what was lost, but only what was donated,” and with that he took his weapon. The Avengers, meanwhile, surrounded him, and Thor called for lightning.

„Eternal universe,” he concluded.  
„Born of blood,” the captain appealed.  
„And who will know? You won't live to tell anyone,” he replied, calmly.

And with that, the whole team attacked him. They attacked him in complete sync, but for all their efforts, Thanos was able to block out every their attacks. Whether it was lightning or laser or any other attack. Tony stood in front of Thor, his suit modified to receive a large power source.

„All right, Thor hit me,” he said determinedly. Thor obeyed and was struck by several bolts of lightning, connecting the hammers and sending their accumulated energy to Iron Man, who converted that energy into several laser beams, which he focused on Thanos. But he blocked them with his weapon and walked slowly toward Tony to stop the attack.

The others didn't give him a chance. Thor bowled Mjolnir and Stormbreaker launched him at Thanos. That only hit him when Thanos lifted Tony. Thanks to the ensuing blow, the purple giant dropped Tony and he was flung several meters away. Excess energy was still coursing through his suit. Loki saw it and would have liked to have gone to his aid, but he had a hard time keeping Thanos's henchmen busy himself. Already he and Yon had managed to kill several, including Nebula from the past, who hesitated for a moment.

Tony fainted for a moment, and now it was the captain and Thor's turn to face the madman. The captain attacked first, sent by Thanos with one wave of his hand to the other side. Thor was cornered. The God of Thunder tried to summon the Stormbreaker but it caught Thanos and was about to end Thor's life with it. But who would have expected Mjolnir to pick up the captain and save the god of lightning?

„I knew it!” Thor laughed before Thanos kicked him in the head.

Now it was Captain America's time. This, with a hammer, managed to balance forces with the enemy for a while, and it became a very tense fight. But his luck ran out when he destroyed Thanos' helmet. But it went on the attack and the captain lost his hammer and was wounded at the same time. Now he was left with his classic good shield. But he didn't have much hope for Thanos's sharp weapon. Having split it in half with a few well-aimed and, most importantly, powerful blows. The heroes were barely scrambling to their feet. Now Loki was at Tony's side, ready to defend him at any cost.

„All those years of conquest, violence, murder were never personal. But you asked for it. So I'm going to enjoy what I'm going to do with your annoying little planet. You won't believe how,” and with that, he called his entire army to Earth. The captain scrambled to his feet and tightened his shield belt. He knew from looking that he would not win this fight, but he did not want to give up without a fight.

He stopped abruptly, hearing a familiar voice over the radio that he hadn't heard in years. The familiar voice told him to turn around. The captain did so and saw the magical portals begin to form behind him. Out of one came the Black Panther and his entire army of warriors; out of another came Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-man, Valkyrie with the remnants of Asgard, wizards, plunderers, and all manner of heroes and men who wished to win over Thanos and save their homes.

With this new reinforcement, Thor and Tony, who had the support of Yon and Loki at his side, scrambled to their feet. It was evident that Thanos had not expected such resistance. At the captain's command, a whole army of heroes went into battle. It was a spectacular battle when at first glance the armies seemed to be evenly matched, but the Avengers' side, though it was their first fight and they hardly knew each other, had the upper hand over Thanos's army out of the blue. They were in sync and helping each other. With that, they were able to gain a net advantage.

Tony was fighting a giant when he was put at a disadvantage. Loki immediately went to help him, but he was too far away. Tony was eventually rescued by Peter, who used cobwebs to hurl the enemy aside.

„Hey, wow. You won't believe what happened. Remember when we were in space and I was dust? I must have fainted because I woke up and you were gone, but Dr Strange was there and he said, „It's been five years. Come on, they need us,” and then he started doing the shiny wheels he always does... what are you doing,” he marvelled as Tony hugged him. Loki saw the whole thing, but decided not to interfere, since the boy didn't seem like a threat, and Tony could tell he'd been through a lot with the boy.

During this fight, the glove came almost to Thanos' hands. Hawkeye was the first to defend her, but he soon became hooked, and the Black Panther took over. He subsequently passed it off like a relay at the races. To keep Thanos from getting to the glove so quickly, the Scarlet Witch faced him. She had been filled with rage since the last reunion for killing her Vision.

„You took everything I ever had,” she snarled at him.  
„I don't even know who you are,” he replied dispassionately, lunging at her.  
„You'll know,” she said calmly, eyes blazing. She had incredible power, and the giant stones around it began to levitate. Anger sent them to the purple titan. Gradually, it destroyed his blade and sent it flying. Surrounded by a red glow that tightened every second until it threatened to squash him, Thanos ordered the ships to open fire.

The barrage had hit his troops, but it was a step toward freeing him. The firing began and everyone retreated into the offensive. The wizards created powerful shields to hide their friends under. Peter was also hit during that firing, dropping Gauntlet with stones. Already everyone thought they were going to lose this one, until, for reasons unknown, the fire turned on one single target in the sky. Almost no one understood what was happening.

It was Captain Marvel, charging in a fireball straight at the enemy ships. Like a bolt out of the blue, she flew through the first ship and destroyed it. The ship went down, and Thanos, thinking he had already won, was caught off guard again, though his face didn't show much. Captain Marvel flew over to Peter, who caught his glove again during the barrage and held it close to him with every tooth and nail. As soon as he saw he was safe, he handed over the glove.

She took over and, with a little help from the Scarlet Witch, Valkyrie, Pepper and others, managed to break through almost the entire enemy army. And they might even have gotten the glove into a different time frame if Thanos hadn't destroyed the device at the last minute.

This caused an incredible explosion, with Captain Marvel inadvertently dropping the glove. Near the glove was Thanos, who wanted to take it, but Tony was quicker. But Thanos shoved Iron Man aside, and this time Thor blocked his path to the glove. But despite the combined forces of the god of thunder and Captain America, Thanos tossed them aside. Captain Marvel was already returning that moment. And though Thanos already had the glove in his grasp, she could keep up with him. Thanos defeated her by trickery, removing stone from his glove and using it specifically against Captain Marvel. When she was out of sight, the purple titan turned to Loki, who still carried the stone of space.

The God of Lies had created a barrier around himself and Tony, but she had no chance against the four other stones. Loki tried to defend himself, but Thanos caught his sceptre and lifted it into the air. He crushed it and took the stone of space and placed it in his glove.

As the stones were together, a rush of energy swept through him, costing him a moment of inattention. Tony seized the moment and grabbed his glove. Of course, he knew his chances were minimal, but he also knew how he could manipulate his technology, and a tiny moment of inattention was what he needed. Thanos tossed him aside and prepared to snap.

„I am inevitable,” he said and snapped. What was supposed to happen didn't happen. He realized what had happened, and he also realized how the god of lies had looked at the Iron man who had just robbed him.

He immediately grabbed Loki by the throat and lifted him into the air. All it took was one hand. As soon as Tony scrambled to his knees and raised his hand with the stones, intending to snap his fingers and save the universe, he was faced with a dilemma. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Yon-Rogg, now with a gun to his head, had also been captured.

„Give me the stones, and I will spare them,” Thanos said. But everyone knew it was a lie.  
„Save... yourself and... everyone... others,” Loki said through his teeth and gasps. Thanos didn't like this kind of defiance, and he tightened his grip further. Loki was almost airless. He tried to free himself but to no avail.

„Forgive me,” and he snapped his fingers. Suddenly the grip on Loki's throat loosened, and even Yon-Rogg was free. His captor turned to dust, as did the rest of Thanos's army. Thanos dropped the god of lies and looked around at his loss. He closed his eyes and turned to dust.

After catching his breath, Loki scrambled to his feet and ran over to Tony, who fell to the ground. The stones took their rate on him. He immediately removed the glove from his hand and placed it on the side. Yon, who had concern in his eyes, rushed over.

„Can you save him?” Yon-Rogg asked Loki immediately.  
„Not here,” he said, disappointed. If he had been on Asgard, which was destroyed, he might have saved him. „You?” he asked Yon. He merely shook his head. This was beyond him. Loki took Tony gently under the head, and Iron man opened his brown eyes one last time.

„Don't leave, do you hear? We'll think of something. I can't lose you again,” and despair crept into Lokis voice. Tony gave him a faint smile and tried to stroke him, but he no longer had the strength for the task.  
„Hopefully it will... work out... in the next life,” he said with his last breath. Loki leaned toward him, tears in his eyes that he now made no effort to hide. For now, was one of the moments in life when the man and king of Asgard could afford to shed tears in front of the common people.

„I will wait for you until the end of the worlds and all time. Me and your child,” he whispered, kissing his forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't lose hope. You will find out what happens next in the next story...

**Author's Note:**

> You can guess who Tony will end up with.


End file.
